Medical connector

• US 4,752,292 A
• Filed: 01/09/1987
• Issued: 06/21/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/1983
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ICU Medical Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ICU Medical Incorporated
• Inventors: Lopez, George A., Laul, Virgil R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pellegrino, Stephen C.
• Application Number:
  US07/001,709
• Time in Patent Office: 529 Days
• Field of Search: 604/86, 604/88, 604/411, 604/408-410, 604/263, 604/283, 604/412-414, 604/905, 604/244
• US Class Current: 604/244
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/1027 Quick-acting type connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/1044 Verifying the connection, e.g. audible feedback, tactile feedback, visual feedback, using external light sources
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/195 by the needle tip shape
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/197 by the seal material
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/1011 Locking means for securing connection; Additional tamper safeties A61M39/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/14 for connecting tubes having sealed ends needle sets A61M5/162; having valves closing automatically on disconnection of line A61M39/26
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 604/905 Aseptic connectors or couplings, e.g. frangible, piercable

Abstract

Disclosed is a connector for introducing medication into a patient in a safe, convenient way. It comprises a pair of plastic tubular members adapted to be manually pushed together to engage in a male-female relationship, and a locking mechanism that detachably secures the members together. The male member has a sealed entry port at its end, and the female member safely houses within it a needle which centrally pierces the seal of the port upon engagement of the members. Preferably, the locking mechanism provides a "click" sound when it locks the members together.

Claims

1. A system for feeding medication from a remote source through tubing means having one end securely connected to and in communication with a patient, said system including,

a port means at a point upstream from said one end,

said port means being formed by a first tubular wall element having an open end sealed by sealing means and being connected to a cap member having therein a needle which penetrates the sealing means on connection of the cap member to the port means to allow medication to flow from said source through the needle into said tubing means,

said sealing means being of a self-sealing type so that holes produced in said sealing means by repeated penetration therethrough by said needle are closed off each time said needle is withdrawn from said sealing means,

said cap member having a cavity therein formed by a tubular wall element which provides and open mouth with said needle being disposed lengthwise along the longitudinal axis of the said cavity, with said tip of said needle being displaced inwardly from said open mouth a sufficient distance to recess the needle deep within the cavity so that it is unlikely to be contaminated, said open mouth having a restricted diameter that prevents the tip of the little finger of a typical adult from being inserted into the cavity,

said first tubular wall element of said port means being adapted to pass through said open mouth upon insertion of said port means into said cavity of said cap member, with said first and second wall elements being coaxially aligned and engaging in a male-female mating relationship as the port means enters said open mouth of said cavity, with the interior surface of said second wall element sliding over the exterior surface of said first wall element, said surfaces serving as guide means for directing said needle into the central portion of said sealing means so that said tip of said needle does not scrape particles from the inside surface of said first wall element, and

means for detachably locking the cap member and port means together securely when said port means is inserted into the cavity, said locking means being adapted for repeated manual operation and and being of a snap-on type where locking is achieved by pushing the cap member over the port means without relative rotation between the cap member and port means, and including one locking element on the cap member, and another locking element on the port means, said locking elements interacting to lock together as the cap member is pushed over the port means.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the locking snap-on type means includes a hingedly mounted element which flexes outwardly and inwardly to allow the cap member to be connected and removably attached to the port means.

4. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the locking means includes a hingedly mounted element which flexes outwardly and inwardly to allow the cap member to be connected and removably attached to the port element.

3. A medical connector including,

a port element formed by a first tubular wall element having at one end sealing means which is of the self-sealing type so that holes produced therein by repeated penetration therethrough by a needle are closed off each time said needle is withdrawn therefrom,

a cap member formed by a second tubular wall element to provide a cavity therein having an open mouth, said cap member being adapted to fit over said port element with the sealing means being received in the cavity,

a needle having at one end a tip, said needle being disposed within the cavity and aligned so that the needle tip penetrates the sealing means upon insertion of the port element into the cavity and is displaced inwardly from said open mouth a sufficient distance to recess the needle deep within the cavity so that it is unlikely to be contaminated, said open mouth having a restricted diameter that prevents the tip of the little finger of a typical adult from being inserted into the cavity, and

means for detachably locking the cap member and port element together when said port element is inserted into the cavity, said locking means being adapted for repeated manual operation and being of the type where locking is achieved by pushing the cap member over the port means without relative rotation between the cap member, and including one locking element on the port element, and another locking element on the cap member, said locking elements interacting to lock together as the cap member is pushed over the port element.